Australian
Davenport Wins Record FourthWorld
MastersTitle
In Cologne

The 52-year-old favourite and defending champion defeated
Scotland's No3 seedAlan
Thomson11-9,
11-3, 11-8 in the final of the Men's Over-50 event.
Davenport won the Over-45World
Masterstitle
in 2003 and 2006.

It was legendary fellow AustralianHeather
McKaywho
became the first winner of fourWorld
Masterstitles
in 1995.

A second crown also goes to Australia after formerWorld
OpenchampionVicki
Cardwell, the top seed, beat second-seeded ScotPauline
Douglas11-5,
11-7, 11-3 in the Women's Over-55 final.

There was popular home success in two women's events:
FavouriteSabine
Schoene, a former world No6 from Munich, defeatedKaren
Meakins, from Barbados, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 in the Women's
Over-35 final - and fourth seedSimone
Korellproduced
a surprise German win after beating New Zealand's third seedJudith
Casbolt11-9,
11-2, 11-7 in the Women's Over-40 event final.

The biggest shock in Cologne came in the Women's Over-45
event where unseeded South AfricanLeora
Greenwood battled through to the final where the
47-year-old beat Dutch opponentBea
de Dreu-Spitse11-9,
11-3, 11-1 to take the title.

There was further unexpected South African success in the
Women's Over-65 event when second seedSheena
Worwoodbeat England'sNorma
Fulling9-11,
11-5, 11-8, 11-7 in the final.

There was New Zealand success in the Men's Over-45 event
where second seedGary
Duberly, winner of the Men's Over-40 title two years
ago, beat England'sPeter
Gunter11-4,
6-11, 11-4, 11-9 in a surprise final.

In the Men's Over-70 final,
WelshmanBrian
Phillipsbeat
New Zealand's defending champion Barry Gardiner 12-10, 11-2,
11-9 to win his first World title.

England Squash Masters proved conclusively that they possess
the strongest group of players in the World with a third of
all the medals, 6 Gold, 5 Silvers and 4 Bronzes. No other
sport is able to match this and all who triumphed can feel
justifiably proud of themselves.

When you take into account that the majority of the top
Internationals didnít travel in a lot of the age groups due
to varying reasons, including PARS, we did unbelievably
well. The strength in depth in all areas is testament to the
amount of Masterís Squash on offer in England and we must
give credit to Nick Rider and Chris Nutley at England Squash
for allowing the Masterís Committee unfettered rein to
develop age group Squash. This does not happen in any other
Country.

To win one World Masters Title is the pinnacle of anyoneís
career, so to win four, as Averil Murphy (W60) has
done, is just unbelievable. Julie Field (W50) won her
second and is a formidable womens player. In the Mens, O65
winner Chris Ansell proved that he never ever gives
up, being 1-2 and 3-7 down to Tony Martin and after
equalling at 2-2, Chris never looked back to walk the fifth,
to add to his two British Open Titles.

His room mate, the legendary trainer Keith Jones
(M60) spent all Summer running half marathons, and only
started playing squash a month ago once he was sure he was
fit enough! Mark Cowley (M55) has had an Adrian
Wright season, that is, winning virtually everything and is
the nearest thing to a cage fighter you will see on a squash
court. Apparently, his match in the Semi Final with Boyd
Kidd who looks even more ferocious than Mark was, to put it
mildly not one for the purists (most spectators loved every
minute of it), but shows that our English mentality never
gives up.

Finally in the M75, Malcolm Gilham, from leafy
Suffolk, can feel mighty pleased with himself as he claimed
our sixth Gold.

To the Silvers, having been there, it hurts. But at least
you got there!! The five were Peter Gunter (M45) ,
1-3 to the excellent Gary Duberly, Peter Alexander
(M55) who lost yet another titanic battle with his old foe
Cowley, but at least has won a couple of World Titles.
Peter Leary (M60) who made a brief comeback last year
looking surprisingly out of sorts, but obviously trained up
to his former glory and will be a major threat in the O60
this season.

Finally, Norma Fulling in the Womenís O65 who lost a
close battle to Sheena Worwood 1-3 and to Ray Rook (M75) who
lost to Malcolm Gilham.

I have been asked to prepare a full report which will be
available online when all the players have had their say
about the event.

Germany's former world No6 Sabine Schoene is set to
star in this week's World Masters Squash Championships in
Cologne where she is the only local player seeded to win one
of the 17 titles on offer in the World Squash Federation
event being staged in Germany for the first time in its
34-year history.

The 36-year-old from Munich, making her first appearance on
the international stage for more than six years, is top seed
in the Women's Over-35 championship. Schoene, the German
national champion an incredible 17 times, enjoyed a
distinguished career on the international circuit, reaching
the World Open semi-finals in 1993 and winning the silver
medal in the World Games in 1997.

England are expected to win six titles in the championships,
with Australia and South Africa each predicted to gain four.
England's Averil Murphy, defending champion and top
seed in the Women's Over-60 event, is one of six players
hoping to win a record-equalling fourth World Masters
trophy.

South Africans Craig van der Wath and Trevor
Wilkinson are both aiming for a fourth - van der Wath
hoping to win back his Men's Over-40 title and Wilkinson
bidding to defend his Men's Over-45 crown.

Australians Geoffrey Davenport and Brian Cook
are both scheduled to retain the trophies they won two years
ago in New Zealand - Davenport the Men's Over-50 and Cook
the Men's Over-60.

Kiwi Barry Gardiner is hoping to repeat 2008 home
soil success in the Men's Over-70 championship.

After winning her last World Masters title in 2001,
Australia's distinguished former World Open champion
Vicki Cardwell is expected to pick up the Women's
Over-55 title in Cologne.

Just nine months after celebrating his 35th birthday,
Frenchman Renan Lavigne - a former world No17 - is
making his Masters debut as top seed in the Men's Over-35
event.